Once A Dixon, Always A Dixon (Daryl Dixon)

Daryl... Take Care Of Her...

A/N  This is Collin Jensen, Nico's older brother. 

Setting: The quarry, Season One

We were making our way back to the van. Except there was no van.

"Uhh guys? Where's the van?" Glenn asked. Yep, our only source of transportation was gone.

"Who coulda taken it?" T-Dog asked.

"Merle," Daryl said. "He's gonna bring some vengeance back to camp." Oh God. If Merle found his way back to the quarry, all hell would break loss.

"Well, looks like we're walking," I said with fake enthusiasm.

---

*Collin's POV*

We were all having a nice conversation by the fire pit. Andrea was making fun of Dale's obsession with his watch.

"You think they found Merle?" Carl asked. I frowned.

"I dunno. If they didn't, Daryl's gonna be pissed," I said.

Amy stood up. "Where are you going?" Andrea asked.

"I have to pee. Jeez, you can't be discreet anymore," She joked and made her way into the RV. We all had a laugh about that.

A bad smell tickled my nose. At first, I thought somebody let one go, but this was way worse. Amy opened the RV door.

"Seriously, we're out of toilet paper!" She yelled in a jokey way, but then she let out a bloodcurdling scream.

I whipped my head around to see a walker take a bite out of her arm. Andrea screamed and everyone else scrambled for guns, anything to take these monsters down. I saw Shane protecting Lori and Carl as if they were his own.

Three walkers were headed right for me. I slashed at them, but I was clumsy, and the blade fell out of my hand. I screamed as I felt a walker's jaw connect with my shoulder.

---

*Nico's POV*

We were about a mile from the campsite. I couldn't help but notice Daryl staring at my sweat-filled shirt.

"Like what you see, Dixon?" I teased and he tripped, making Rick laugh. Then, the worst smell ever filled my nose. Everyone else seemed to smell it too.

"Goddamn, what is that?" T-Dog asked, his hand covering his nose.

"I've smelled this before, but not as strong as this. Heck, the last time it was this strong was when Rick and I- oh shit..." I said. I could feel the blood drain from my face.

"When you and Rick were what?" Glenn pushed.

"In the tank," I squeaked. Glenn's eyes widened. "Oh crap."

Then, I heard a man's scream. From the campsite.

"WALKERS ARE ATTACKING THE CAMPSITE!!" I screamed and we all broke into a run. I have never ran this fast in my life. My calves were screaming for me to stop, but I pushed on. I readied my bow.

What I saw made me want to be sick. I shot down four walkers, but a fifth one grabbed me from behind. I screamed and tried to grab my machete, but I couldn't get a good aim on it's head.

A green arrow pierced it's brain from behind. I looked at Daryl and gave him a nod of gratitude.

Soon, all the walkers were dead, but there were losses. Andrea was crying over, oh God, Amy. Amy was the sweetest thing, and now she was dead. I heard a groan. I looked over to see a man hunched over, a bloody bite on his shoulder.

That man was my brother.

I screamed and ran over to him. "Collin! No... God please no... I just found you! You can't go!" I cried, hot tears running down my face. Most of the group members were behind me. Rick was holding a scared Lori and a crying Carl.

"Ni-Nico... listen to me..." He croaked. He grabbed my hand. His was covered in his own blood. "You're going to beat this world. You are brave, strong, smart, and kind. Promise me you'll fight. Don't do anything stupid. It won't help anyone..."

I was crying so hard. The last time I cried this hard was... well, I had never cried this hard before. Damn, it hurt.

"D-Daryl..." Collin coughed. "Daryl, come here..." Daryl walked over and squatted next to me. "Yeah?" He asked.

"T-take care of her. She cares about you, and you care about her. I trust you Daryl. Don't you let her out of your sight," He said. Daryl's hand found its way into mine. I held it like my life depended on it.

Daryl nodded. "I'll do everything I can. I swear on it,"

Collin smiled. He closed his eyes and his chest stopped rising.

My brother had been bit by a walker, now he was dead. I took out my machete. Daryl grabbed my arm. "Nico, no," He said.

"I have to do it. I was his last family member," I said. And with that, I raised my machete and brought it down on my brother's skull.

My innocent, beautiful brother who didn't have a mean bone in his body. Daryl helped me stand up and I wrapped my arms around him and cried into his wife-beater. Daryl hugged me back.

He. Hugged. Me. Back. This was very un-Daryl-like, but he let me cry into his shirt. I pulled away. Suddenly, I was angry.

"This is your stupid brother's fault!" I screamed at him. "If he wasn't such a simpleminded piece of shit, he wouldn't of cut off his hand, and we wouldn't be in this damn situation! I gave up my brother to save that douchebag you call a brother!" Then, I did something stupid.

I threw my machete at him. He dodged it, but it sliced his arm. Deep. I doubled back and fell onto the ground. I backed away in shock.

I nearly killed him.

I ran into my tent and buried my face into my knees. I had lost everything. I should've killed myself in that damn tank!

"Hey, Nico?" Someone asked quietly. Daryl. He was grasping his arm, which was covered in blood. He mustered a grin. "We're even now."

I couldn't help but smile back. I pulled a needle and thread out of my backpack. "I can stitch it for you. I feel terrible, let me help," I offered. He obliged and sat next to me. I grabbed his bicep and started stitching.

I really like this Daryl Dixon.